Dhaka: President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Sunday pledged to ensure justice for victims of enforced disappearances, stating that Bangladesh would never again allow 'Aynaghar' or secret detention centres to exist. "Let me state clearly as the President of Bangladesh: there will be no more 'Aynaghar' in this independent Bangladesh. No mother will have to shed tears waiting for her child, and no wife will have to wait for her husband," he declared.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the President was addressing a discussion marking the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances 2026 at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in Dhaka. He emphasized that all perpetrators involved in enforced disappearances would be brought before the law and face the highest punishment as per law. He also highlighted that the state's responsibility would extend beyond punishing the perpetrators, encompassing the dignity, social security, healthcare, education, livelihoods, and rehabilitation of affected families.
Recalling the victims of enforced disappearances in Bangladesh and elsewhere in the world, President Fakhrul expressed deep sympathy for their families, acknowledging their years of waiting for their loved ones. He described enforced disappearance as a grave human rights violation and a crime against humanity. He recounted how such disappearances, secret detention centres, and killings were employed over the past 15 years to silence those protesting against injustice and demanding democratic rights.
President Fakhrul pointed to specific cases, such as BNP leader Ilias Ali, ward commissioner Chowdhury Alam, and ward-level BNP leader Sajedul Islam Sumon, to underscore the enduring pain and uncertainty faced by their families. He mentioned numerous individuals, including dissidents, officials, writers, journalists, social workers, homemakers, and ordinary citizens who were detained in 'Aynaghar', some of whom fortunately returned, while many others have not.
Describing the enforced disappearances as a painful chapter in Bangladesh's history, the President stressed the need for justice over revenge. He highlighted the findings of the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances, which identified 1,569 incidents, with 287 victims found missing and dead, illustrating the misuse of state power for partisan interests. The commission's report, he said, provides a foundation for further action.
President Fakhrul mentioned the introduction of the Enforced Disappearance Prevention and Remedy Bill, 2026 in Parliament and Bangladesh's signing of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. He noted that trials related to enforced disappearances and genocide were progressing under the International Crimes Tribunal, maintaining transparency and international standards.
He concluded with a call to establish a Bangladesh grounded in democracy, human rights, equality, and dignity, where good governance and accountability strengthen democracy and justice. He urged collective efforts to guide Bangladesh from the darkness of enforced disappearance and impunity towards truth, justice, and humanity.